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Custer State Park
★4.8(11,151 reviews)$Adventure
🕑 Full day (6-8 hours) to experience the Wildlife Loop, scenic drives, and hiking, or half-day (3-4 hours) for just the Wildlife Loop and main highlights👶 Perfect for all ages! Toddlers love watching the buffalo and prairie dogs from the car, while kids 5+ can handle easier hiking trails. Tweens and teens will enjoy longer hikes, wildlife photography opportunities, and the adventure of exploring this vast wilderness.🧡 Saved by 500+ families
About
Custer State Park is a massive 71,000-acre wonderland where kids can experience the American West up close. Families love spotting herds of wild buffalo, playful prairie dogs, and bighorn sheep while driving the scenic Wildlife Loop Road or joining an exciting Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour that gets you remarkably close to these magnificent creatures.
Highlights
- ✓Wildlife Loop Road - 18-mile scenic drive with guaranteed buffalo sightings and prairie dog towns
- ✓Buffalo Safari Jeep Tours for up-close wildlife encounters with expert guides
- ✓Needles Highway with its dramatic granite spires and narrow tunnels
- ✓Swimming and picnicking at Sylvan Lake, a stunning mountain lake
- ✓Easy nature trails perfect for little legs, including the accessible Legion Lake trail
Pro Tips
- 1.Drive the Wildlife Loop Road early morning (6-8am) or evening (6-8pm) for the best wildlife viewing when animals are most active
- 2.Stop at the prairie dog town near the State Game Lodge - kids can watch these adorable creatures for hours and it's an easy, stroller-friendly stop
- 3.Book the Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour in advance during summer months as it fills up quickly, and bring binoculars for kids to use
- 4.Pack plenty of snacks and water as facilities are spread out across the massive park, and bring quarters for the wildlife viewing scopes at various pullouts
- 5.Download the park map ahead of time and plan your route - the park is huge and cell service can be spotty
Best Time to Visit
Visit May through September for the warmest weather and all facilities open, with early morning or late afternoon ideal for wildlife viewing. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. Fall (September-October) offers stunning foliage and active wildlife preparing for winter, with fewer crowds.
What to Know
Park entrance fees are $20 per vehicle (valid for 7 days). The park has multiple visitor centers with restrooms and snack options, but pack food for a full day. Most scenic drives are paved and accessible, though some hiking trails are rugged.
Seasonal Notes
Open year-round, but winter (November-March) brings snow and ice with limited services and some road closures. Summer (June-August) is peak season with all facilities open but larger crowds. The annual Buffalo Roundup in late September is a spectacular family event but draws huge crowds.
Nearby Eats
The State Game Lodge Restaurant offers kid-friendly American fare including buffalo burgers in a historic setting. Blue Bell Lodge has a casual dining room and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with options kids will enjoy.
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